This small group Deuteronomy 25 Bible study guide contains commentary, discussion questions, cross-references, and application to encourage life change. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Deuteronomy 25 Bible Study And Questions – Proportional Justice, Levirate Marriage, and Integrity
Outline
I. Fairness and justice (1-4)
II. Levirate marriage (5-10)
III. Miscellaneous laws (11-19)
I. Fairness and justice (1-4)
Discussion Questions
• What can you learn about justice from the phrase “in proportion to his offense?”
• Why was a limitation put on the amount a person could be striped?
• Since justice and mercy are both taught in the Bible, how can you balance the two? When should you enforce justice? When should you be merciful?
• What is the meaning of verse 4? How can this principle be applied today?
Cross-References
James 2:13 – For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Romans 2:6 – He will render to each one according to his works.
1 Timothy 5:17-18 – Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Be beaten… in proportion to his offense – Justice was to be enforced upon the convicted criminal in proportion to his offense. If a public beating was the sentence called for, it was to be limited to forty stripes. Setting a limit would prevent those in charge of the punishment from allowing anger or malice to lead them to become out of control. The limit would also protect the life of the convicted. It wasn’t to be a punishment to death. The text also says that it was to keep “your brother” from being “degraded in your sight.”
Justice was to be dispensed with fairness and equity. The Old Testament law can be seen also in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 19:21 – Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Notice how fair it was. If you injured someone else’s tooth, they couldn’t take your eye. If you hurt their foot, they couldn’t take your life. The golden rule is to do for others what you want them to do for you. Here we see that justice is the reverse of that. What you have done to others is then done to you.
The bad news for us is that if God were to judge us strictly with this standard we could not pass. Every one of us would fail miserably. Thankfully, Jesus came as our substitute. He took all of our punishment in our stead so that we would not have to. Though He would be perfectly right to judge us, He is willing to extend His grace to us.
Someone has to pay for our sins. It is either us or Jesus.
Application – We can make two applications here. First, let us come to Jesus for forgiveness so that we receive mercy instead of judgment.
Secondly, we should be fair and just when we discipline others. This is most applicable to parents. Practice proportional discipline to your kids. It would be unreasonable to ground them for a month for a minor violation. Discipline should be firm and act as an incentive to change behavior. At the same time, it should not be too extreme or the children may develop a root of bitterness in their hearts toward you.
Ephesians 6:4 – Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bring them up in the discipline of the Lord, not your own angry version. While discipline is sometimes necessary, remember the importance of love and mercy.
2. You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out grain –
This law reminded the people to be kind and reasonable to their animals. Oxen were used to help tread grain. They were providing food for people. It would have been cruel to prevent them from eating any of the food they helped to produce. Animals were not to be abused or mistreated. You can tell a lot about a person by the way he treats an animal.
God made people to be stewards over the earth (Genesis 1:28). Part of that responsibility is toward animals.
Proverbs 12:10 -Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
The immediate application of this law was simple. Do not muzzle an ox when it is treading grain. However, there is a universal principle behind this command. That principle is that a worker is worthy of his wages. Paul took this Old Testament verse and made that very point (1 Timothy 5:18, 2 Timothy 2:6).
1 Corinthians 9:9-11 – For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
A worker is worthy of his wages. This can be applied to many areas. Employers should not exploit their employees. A farm worker should be allowed to share in enjoying the crops. Also, Paul applied it specifically to Christian workers. Those who work for the church should be supported by the church.
Application – Are you appreciating Christian workers around you? Are you helping provide them with generous wages? If we should be kind to animals, how much more to God’s servants?
II. Levirate marriage (5-10)
Discussion Questions
• Explain the concept of Levirate marriage.
• How was this beneficial to the widow?
• How was it beneficial to the brother of the deceased?
• How was it beneficial for the nation at large?
• Was it mandatory for the brother of the deceased to marry the widow?
• What kind of reasons might cause the brother to not go forward and marry the widow?
• Can you share a Biblical example of this law in action?
• How did that work out?
• What can you see about the differences in the cultural approach to marriage then and now?
• This law was given in a different time to a different people. What is the universal principle behind this law that we can still keep in mind today?
• How can we apply the principle in an environment that is very different?
Cross-References
Ruth 3:12-13, 4:1-10 – Check this passage for an example of Levirate marriage between Boaz and Ruth.
Psalms 68:5 – Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
Isaiah 1:17 – Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Levirate marriage –
God instituted what is often called Levirate marriage as a way to protect and take care of widows and also keep alive the deceased’s name and inheritance. It is not related to the tribe of Levi, but the word “levir,” which means husband’s brother.
If a man died and left behind a widow, his brother should marry her. The first child born would legally be considered the descendant and heir of the dead husband.
The story of Ruth makes it clear that there was an order of responsibility when it came to Levirate marriage. It was first the responsibility of the closest relative. That would be the brother. However, if this person refused the responsibility would then go to the next in line and so on (Ruth 3-4).
It was not 100% mandatory. Refusing this marriage was possible (7-8), but not looked upon well socially (10). Presumably, one reason for refusing the marriage would be if the brother was already married.
A modern society might look at this and ask, “Was this marriage forced? Did the lady have a choice?” However, that is looking at the issue through the lens of our own culture, while not understanding theirs.
A woman at that time in history had little means to provide for themselves. Land was necessary for farming and muscle was necessary to farm that land. A widow would have been vulnerable and in danger of being exploited or abused. With no marriage, they may have been relegated to a life of poverty gleaning like Ruth was doing.
Love marriages were rare. Instead, marriages were contracts between families that came with legal obligations. Arranged marriages were common. While ladies today can live comfortable lives as singles, it was far more difficult and dangerous then. The law of Levirate marriage was given to protect women. It was a way to make sure that the widows in society were well taken care of. It limited poverty. In essence, Levirate marriage raised the legal status of women. In addition, it protected the line and inheritance of the deceased. Levirate marriage helped to maintain an orderly and stable society.
For an example of how it worked, study the book of Ruth. In that amazing story, we see real love in action. We also see that Levirate marriage foreshadows Christ as being our redeemer.
Application – A key principle is that God loves orphans and widows. He enshrines their protection into law. Western society is increasingly ambivalent about caring for elderly family members. God wants us to care for our families.
1 Timothy 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
What are some practical ways you can show care to elderly family members?
III. Miscellaneous laws (11-19)
Discussion Questions
• What types of behavior was the law in verses 11-12 discouraging? Why was the law so strict?
• What types of sins did the laws in verses 13-16 discourage?
• What is the universal principle behind this law that is still applicable today?
• What are some common ways that people cheat, steal, or deceive others today?
• How did Amalek treat Israel?
• What was Israel charged to do in relation to Amalek?
Cross-References
Proverbs 11:1 – A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.
Proverbs 20:10 – Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
Micah 6:11 – Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights?
Proverbs 10:9 – Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
Proverbs 20:7 – The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!
Exodus 17:8 – Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.
Genesis 15:16 – And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Verses 11-12 – A woman who grabbed a man’s genitalia during a fight between two men should have her hand cut off. This extremely rare case is the only example of mutilation prescribed as a punishment in the Old Testament law. It would seem that this was also prescribed for intentional cases of malice and not for accidental bumps. Such an act could also lead to infertility issues for the man, which perhaps was the woman’s point.
Interpreting this as an intentional act to damage the man’s reproductive organs is even more likely when we consider the context. The passage right before this deals with Levirate marriage, which is to protect the line of descendants of the deceased. This violent act could also threaten one’s ability to father children. In addition, it could prevent him from entering into the assembly of the Lord (Deuteronomy 23:1).
It essentially served as a strong warning to women to let the men fight it out and stay out of it. Though the punishment was very serious, it was meant as a deterrent. That deterrent itself could keep women safe by encouraging them to remain as spectators. It also was a reminder of the importance of modesty.
It was a case of proportional justice. The offended, even if rendered infertile and unfit to enter the assembly of the Lord, was also not allowed to do more than take the hand (following the eye for an eye principle).
We should also note that the culture is far removed from our own and the exact meaning of the text can be a bit unclear. Those facts should also remind us to treat the text with humility, knowing that is difficult for us to fully understand it today.
2. Use fair weights and measures – Trading was common. Merchants and vendors would have carried weights, scales, and measurements to use in making deals and exchanges. It was technically possible to rig these in order to cheat others for financial gain. This was strictly prohibited.
I have been to many markets where scales and weights are used. I have also been cheated. In one case, I doubted the integrity of the scale used to weigh some seafood I purchased. When I asked other vendors to help me weigh it to make a comparison, none of them would do it. All were in on the game. Cheating buyers with dishonest scales is a trick as old as time.
God says that the people who do this are an “abomination” to Him. On the other hand, those who have integrity will live a long and good life. It is true that we generally reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-9).
We seldom use weights and scales on a daily basis today. However, we are called to have integrity and to be honest in our business dealings. People still have many common tricks for taking advantage of others today which are just as bad.
I remember watching an Andry Griffith episode on TV. The father, Andy, rebuked his son for cheating his friend in a deal. Then Andy was considering purchasing a house, but the owner glossed over all of the problems in the house and didn’t mention the things that were broken. Then Andy did the same thing when someone looked at his house. His son called him out on it. Grownups often lie and steal just as much as children. We just tend to do it in a more sophisticated way.
Reflect – Can you share any examples of common ways to steal from others that may be socially acceptable?
Application – Evaluate your own life for anything that is dishonest. Ask God to reveal any wrong way in you. Then confess it to Him and change.
Psalms 139:23-24 – Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
3. Verses 17-19 – Read notes on Deuteronomy 2, where there is an extensive discussion on God’s decree to wipe out the Canaanites.
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